Saturday, 25 October 2014

Dusk Dubs returns with another incredible journey through sounds. As always, our guest provides us with music that has a special place in their memories and in their souls. Music that moves them, that invokes images of sunrises, sunsets, good times and good people. I then play each record, in full, giving it breathing space and allowing it to shine.

This week we welcome back DuskDubs resident Original Gidman. Everybody knows when he steps up with his selections, we are all in for a real treat. Gidman, known by many people as 'The Oracle' recently won most knowledgeable listener at the Music Mondays and RCFF raver awards presented by Billy Bunter & Uncle Dugs and the evidence of that is there for us all to see. If anybody wants a tune ID, needs to know anything about a Dj/Producer or something about a specific Label, it really is a case of 'ASK GIDMAN'

His knowledge of all things music stems back to the late 80's, a time when he was well and truly a Hip-Hop head but all that changed when he went on holiday to Corfu with his best mate Gary, what is now known to Gidman as a life changing night at the Wag Club, where he heard stuff like....Rhythm Is Rhythm - Strings of Life and The 28th Street - I Need A Rhythm for the very 1st time, He came back to the UK a house head!
Then in the early 90's, he became a regular at The Paradise Club for the legendary AWOL nights where he would see the likes of Dj Randall dropping the newest, freshest prototype jungle which also had a massive influence on his musical tastes back then and still do to this day.
In the mid 90's it was the turn of Giles Peterson to introduce Gidman to a lot of different music from around the world at his 'That's How It Is' nights at Bar Rumba, from the likes of LTJ Bukem doing a house set to Jazzanova playing a Hip-Hop/House/Brazilian/jazz set.....That club was just Perfect for him.....
DuskDubs really is a 'Labour Of Love' for Gidman. Here at DuskDubs HQ we see his passion and determination on a daily basis, always coming up with new/fresh ideas, always looking to give any potential selectors a helping hand, always looking to move DuskDubs forward.
We feel very privileged and honoured to have him part of the team, we seriously wouldn't have come this far without him.....BIG UP BRUV!

So, let's get down to business and let Gidman do what he does best - Take you on an amazing journey through sound......DuskDubs Style!

Here is the man himself:

" It’s great to be back for YR-02 and to be offering up another selection of tracks for another #DuskDubs mixtape. Inspired by all the previous mixtapes and amazing selections that we’ve received by our ever-growing #DuskDubsfamily, i’ve spent the last few months lurking around in my dusty ol’ vaults. So, for this volume, I’ve drawn for some recognisable classics alongside some deeper, less well known beauties…. All oozing that soulful dubbed-out flavour that I love so much….. enjoy. "

1) Scientist – ‘Round 5’ (Greensleeves Records) - Intro sounds come from the protégé of King Tubby, the legendary Scientist, from the classic clash album ‘Scientist vs. Prince Jammy ‎– Big Showdown’ (1980). Instantly recognisable to all those ‘Junglists’ out there – it was sampled both by MC Jay J & DJ Devious D’s on ‘ Time Of Our Lives’ and on Noise Factory’s ‘Be Free’ from their ‘My Mind’ EP – both classic 1992 anthems from the hardcore era ….. “Strictly drum and bass makes you wind up your waist”

2) Zero 7 – ‘Truth & Rights’ (Treacle/Azuli Records) - This cover of Johnny Osbourne’s 1980’sclassic was released on a limited edition 7 inch single back in 2002 as a promotional release to their ‘AnotherLateNight Mix album. Just love those soaring synths and strings – classic Zero 7.

3) Reprazent - New Forms (Roni Size Downtempo Version) (Talkin’ Loud) – Released on Gilles Peterson’s eclectic Talkin’ Loud label back in 1998, during the time when Roni Size, Represent and all the Bristol crew were taking the D&B world by storm, this version featured on the double vinyl release of ‘Watching Windows’. Roni takes it down a notch, switching it from its well know D&B tempo to a slo-down hip-hop pace, and with Bahamadia’s vocals floating through…. A wonderful remix of epic proportion.

4) Stro Elliot - Soul II Stro (Self-Released) – Came across this track a few years back when DJ Jazzy Jeff dropped it in a mixtape for the Los Angeles based club - The ‘Do-Over’. I later tracked it down…. created by a beat producer out of Los Angeles named Stro Elliot on his 2011 ‘Stro's Old Beat Farm’ album which I thoroughly recommend and is still available here…stro.bandcamp.com/album/stros-old-beat-farm

5) Om Unit & Disco Nutter – Question (Red Bull Music Academy) – I’m a big fan of Om Unit’s music, and this one is a not so well known track taken from the ‘Not For Sale: Red Bull Music Academy’ compilation album, that showcases the 60 international participants and ten studio team members that appeared at the Red Bull Academy in Madrid back in 2011. Apparently, after witnessing MC MF Doom perform, both Om Unit & Disco Nutter otherwise known as Jim Coles (UK) and Yasen Velchev (BULGARIA) headed into one of the many studios at the academy and created this “neck-snapping monster”, sampling that sci-fi classic The Thing (1952). The track is still available here…rbma.bandcamp.com/track/question

6) Stereo MC's - Connected (Future Sound Of London Mix) (Gee Street) - Only released as a limited 12 Inch promo I believe…. this remix by Future Sound Of London back in 1992 removes the vocals by Stereo Mc’s but leaves that great bass line and saxophone refrain intact and adds copious amounts of delays and reverbs creating another dubbed-out.. neck snapping monster …. classic #DuskDubs.

7) Us3 - Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia) (Us3 Smokin' Mix) (Blue Note) – This is taken from the 20th Anniversary Edition of ‘Hand On The Torch’ album which was originally released back in 1993 on the famous Blue Note label. The track features the classic sample of Herbie Hancock's 1964 jazz standard ‘Cantaloupe Island’ and this version slows things down to a more sedate or ‘smokers’ pace…..

8) Scotty - Skank in Bed (Harry J Records) – Originally produced by Harry Johnson back in 1972 for Blue Mountain Records out of Jamaica, in the Harry J Studio…. the same studio that would later witness Bob Marley & The Wailers, Rolling Stones, The Who, and Grace Jones all passing through. ‘Skank in Bed’ was the b-side to a very successful 7 inch by Lorna Bennett who recorded a version of Dusty Springfield's "Breakfast in Bed". For those sample spotters out there, you can hear where
Rebel MC and Double Trouble got their intro for their 1989 hit ‘Street Tuff’.

9) Massive Attack Feat. Tracey Thorn - Protection (The Eno Mix) (Wild Bunch/Virgin Records) – This version was can be found on the original 1995 12 inch release of ‘Protection’, remixed by the great Brian Eno who expands the track into a 9 minute ambient masterpiece. This track also has a personal resonance, as the original version was the track that my wife and I had played for our first wedding dance…. Very special.

10) Pink Floyd – Pigs On The Wing (Part 1) (Harvest/EMI) – Taken from one of my favourite albums by Pink Floyd, the 1977 concept album ‘Animals’. This is part one of two short love songs which book-end the album’s more political content. I got to see Roger Walter’s perform this track in ‘Quadrophonic Sound’ on a perfect summers evening in the middle of Hyde Park, London - a “DuskDubs” memory that has stayed with me ever since. (My artwork for this volume is a nod to the official artwork of “Animals”.

11) Custom Blue - So Low (Cinematic Orchestra Dub) (Island Records) – Released as a ‘promo only’ back in 2002, I reacquainted myself with this fantastic 12 Inch after a digging session in the vaults recently. An amazing ‘Dub’ version by J. Swinscoe’s Cinematic Orchestra who transform the original into a blissed out ‘Balearic’ classic…. Perfect for #DuskDubs

12) Dr. Octagon - Blue Flowers (Mo Wax) – Thanks to some great remixes at the time, this track seemed to cross so many musical boundaries – which was often the case with Mo Wax releases and exactly what I liked about them. Techno artists remixing hip-hop tracks or D&B artists remixing techno tracks…. it was all up for grabs. Dr. Octagon aka Kool Keith previously of Ultramagnetic MC’s fame released both this single and the album ‘Dr. Octagonecologyst’ back in 1995/1996. His lyrics and production were often labelled as experimental or unconventional, or more simply put… original, and this is why I have gone for the original version which showcases this perfectly.

13) Nemo - Darkest Day (World Of Apples Vocal Remix) (Jazzanova Compost Records) – During the same digging session I mentioned earlier, I pull this out. Released back in 2001 on the ‘Darkest Day EP’ ‘under the collaborative label of Jazzanova Records and Compost Records. There’s not much known about Nemo with only one or two releases under their belt. However, this remix by World Of Apples aka Ewan Pearson from Kidderminster, is simply stunning with Aimée Craddock’s glorious vocals over a great live hip-hop beat.

14) Danmass - Happy Hour (Original) (Sunday Best Recordings) – A Ross Allen classic which I first heard on his award winning ‘Destination In’ radio show back in 2000. Danmass aka Dan Carey & Massimo Bonaddio originally released ‘Happy Hour’ on Rob da Bank’s Sunday Best label and then re-released it 2 years later on their own record label Danmass Industry’s. It’s a reasonably simple track with guitar, bleeps and beats but it’s that kid’s vocal descriptions that stick in my head, for some reason reminding me of my days as a kid watching the film ‘Kes’.

15) Saint Etienne - Only Love Can Break Your Heart (Andrew Weatherhall Remix) (Heavenly Records) – This cover of Neil Young’s 1970 hit was included on Saint Etienne’s debut album ‘Foxbase Alpha (1990)’ but it is the appointment of Andrew Weatherall on remix duties for his ‘A Mix Of Two Halves’ that made me go digging for this version. Here, Mr Weatherall pushes the dub qualities of the original – literally creating a track of two half’s … the first a dubbed out instrumental which then segues into the second half…. a more traditional vocal version, but all with an underlying skanking beat….. “Kool & Deadly” in deed !!

16) Leftfield - Inspection (Check One) (Hard Hands, Columbia) – Throughout the time #DuskDubs has been operating, the album ‘Leftism’ has been mined pretty substantially by numerous selectors – a definite #DuskDubs classic for sure. So I thought it was about time I joined in….. therefore I have chosen ‘Inspection (Check One)’. A true heavyweight break-beat laden track featuring the ragga vocals of Danny Red that raises the tempo and funk of this volume…. As Danny says….”Inspection ? everything ship shape and shine?”…… certainly is now mate !!

17) Boozoo Bajou - Divers (Low Immersion Dub) (Stereo Deluxe) – To close proceedings, I’ve gone with this release from 2000 on the Stereo Deluxe Label out of Nuremberg, Germany. With ‘The Funky Lowlives’ on remix duties, it’s a dubtronica affair very much in the form of Kruder & Dorfmeister or the G-Stone label and when the track breaks down and that bass line erupts, it’s time to seriously Skank-Out…… jeeez – whatch ya bassbins ?

18. Paul Hardcastle – 19 Below Zero (The Lost Tape Mix) – We all know the original version of Paul Hardcastle’s 19 released back in 1985 – topping the UK Singles Charts at No.1 for 4 weeks. Inspired by the current Electro scene at the time, in particular Africa Bambataa, Hardcastle incorporated that latest sampling technology, the E-mu Emulator – which only gave him 2 seconds of sample time…. Crazy ! This ‘Lost Tape Mix’ was released on the 2012 ‘19 Below Zero’ album, created as you would expect from the title, out of a load of old master tapes he thought he had lost – I’m so glad he found them because I love this version and had to include it. It takes me back to a time of absorbing everything ‘Electro and StreetSounds’ in my early teens…. Gonna go and get my boombox, my lino and my ‘Nike’ wind-runner out !!

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